My Price To Pay
by JaxLass
Summary: Drabble trio/Lizzie enjoys sunning, Jack has a civil word for Will & Jack spooks himself.


**AN: Spoiler Alert**: Different teasers may include unseen material from established stories.

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Summary: Lizzie enjoys sunning, Jack has a civil word for Will & Jack spooks himself.

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Intrepid Bandicoot: Are there _more _mad undead romps in Barbossa's bid to recover the Aztec coins?

RumQueen: Take it from me, there's _no_ time limit on feedback. I got a sweet review last week from a whimsical piece I published over a year ago!

Tndigger: If you read this, I need an email address - I have your answer.

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**MY PRICE TO PAY **

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1) **Misplaced Hearts**. Wherein Elizabeth celebrates life and grieves for her losses.

It should have been a beautiful morning. Her heart should have been bursting with joyous song.

Elizabeth closed her eyes to the sense of serenity on the hillside around her, trying to deny it existence.

A quiet sea rolled lazily along the beach below, the sun in a cloud-feathered sky glowed with soft warmness on her face while gentle grass brushed her bare toes.

The feeling of desolation could not be assuaged by all of nature's best attempts and yet she remained because it was better than in her cabin. At least here she sat alone in peace. She had enough to account for without a teary-eyed Natalie to cruelly remind her of what had been lost that day.

Although she couldn't tell Daniel's mother, Elizabeth grieved for a heart. And yet by God's grace, she had been spared the one loss that would have been unbearable in her solitude. She lightly patted the slight roundness of her belly, a sad smile pulling at her lips.

"Oh, Will," she lamented, gazing out at the craggy rocks where Matthew had pulled her from the angry waters. "I've made such a horrible mess of things. I tired to save your heart… and I think, so did Jack. Now I don't _know_ what's happened to it. And I fear I may have lost Jack as well. Yet _our_ child is safe."

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2) **To The Friends We Never Were**. Wherein Jack and Will have a magnanimous moment in their victory.

"We were married, yes," Will admitted. "Barbossa told you?"

Jack offered him a tight, half-pouting grin as he released his grip. "Ah, but then he thinks he's captain of _my_ ship, does he not? Had you've asked me, I could have done it properly." The grin turned mischievous. "Maybe _without_ you, William."

Turner blinked and Elizabeth coughed uncomfortably.

"Maybe not," he amended, veering a sidelong glance at Gibbs at the wheel. His grin brightened momentarily then faded with a dismissive shrug. "No matter, what with the deed done and you off ferryin' passin' souls to... wherever it is passin' souls be ferried to, I imagine." He waved a languid hand towards the water beyond them littered with small bits of floating debris from the sunken _Endeavor_.

"Yes, I accept that duty," Will conceded, his voice unable to conceal puzzlement, "Elizabeth said you had the heart, Jack." He smiled almost sadly. "I can't say that I could have done that --given it up-- had it been my choice. I'm sorry."

Jack cocked his head to one side, choosing to take this as a complimentary slight. "Nothin' to be sorry for, really," he said ruefully. "What with the whole dead passenger thing, I'd as likely take me chances at sea. Sides, you've saved your father, ey?"

Will smiled, shaking his head. "He said to tell you that you're square."

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3) **Which Way Lies True**. Wherein Jack is unsure what lurks in the temple with him.

_Beckett wants the heart of Jones so that he can control the seas and answer to no one for unforgivable slaughter. Can you imagine anyone with that much power, Sparrow?'_

'_No, and I imagine none should have that power, ex-Commodore, not of the seas or us, or anywhere what matters to us. Yet you would no doubt seek your rank and honor restored to you for such a pitiable price and call me unprincipled?'_

'_I'd hardly consider those Letters of Marque you're holding to be a pitiable price.'_

"Shame 'bout Norrington, he was well on his way to becomin' a half-decent pirate," Jack observed.

He'd just finished his right boot when the first sound of trickling water reached him.

Odd, it didn't seem early enough for the incoming tide. Quickly he slipped into the second boot, wincing when soft leather touched his sore knee. Moments later, he stood in the archway again, staring in puzzlement at a very _dry_ Mr. Snake Headdress.

"Trust me, there's things," he gazed left, "such as cursed gold," he looked right, "severed beatin' hearts," he peered above," and silver bracelets," a glance behind, "of omnipotent use to owners or," he lowered his eyes and edged carefully toward the rim of the sunken room, "possessors what's best left… alone," he finished in a half-whisper, waiting, but not daring to watch the deeper shadows on the other side of the chamber.

"Did I mention that I've always _liked_ Calypso even when she – er, technically – wasn't _really_ Calypso?"

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**DISCLAIMER NOTE****: **Elements of _Seas of Justice_ are woven into _A Pirate's Life No More, Misplaced Hearts,_ and _Which Way Lies True_ for the purposes of foundation, entertainment, development and/or continuity only. They don't presume to replace PotC's content.


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